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Fines Flow Into State Coffers

State revenue from fines has risen sharply during this decade. Over the past nine years, income from fines has shot up from around 51 million euros to some 95 million a year, according to the newspaper Kaleva.

Poliisi mittaa autojen nopeutta tutkalaitteella.
Image: YLE

Most of the increase can be explained by stricter enforcement of traffic laws. About 80% of all fines paid in the country are for traffic offences.

Another factor in the increased revenues gathered through fines is a revision made to traffic regulations in 1999 which increased the size of on-the-spot fines and introduced fixed penalties for small infractions of speed limits.

Additionally, police supervision and automated monitoring of traffic has increased annually.

Automated traffic monitoring systems last year accounted for around 10 million euros worth of all fines issued.

Sources: YLE